Posts Tagged ‘pre-arrangements’

When it comes to traditional financial planning, the majority of long-term fiscal decisions are made by men. For years, financial professionals have been trying to create specialized programs that focus on women and how they can plan for retirement or life after the loss of a spouse.

Funeral planning, on the other hand, is a process that has long been dominated by women. In fact, an estimated two-thirds of funerals are planned and paid for by women—usually because a wife outlives her husband, and is called upon to determine how to best lay her spouse to rest. Adult female children are also the ones most likely to act as caretakers for their aging parents, so the task of funeral planning often falls to them.

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Funeral planning is one of the most personal and difficult things that anyone undertakes. It doesn’t matter whether it’s the funeral of a parent, a child, a brother, or a spouse—making the decisions that will lay your loved one to rest for all of eternity is something no one can be prepared to face.

Funeral traditions, those often somber practices that include ornate caskets, reverent music, and religious eulogies, exist to help those decisions become easier to make. There is a small measure of comfort to be derived from knowing that your loved one is following the same path that millions of people have traversed before.

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When it comes to funeral planning, the modern consumer has more options than ever before. From cremation and green burial to traditional interment, there is a ceremony for every type of person—and every budget.

Those hoping to reduce funeral costs even more—and to put the focus back on family—have one more option: the home funeral. Once the only way to say goodbye to those we love, a home funeral is exactly what the name suggests. Instead of having a memorial service at a funeral home and burying the deceased in a cemetery, the entire process takes place at home.

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Most people have strong opinions when it comes to funeral planning and choosing the right funeral home. No one wants to feel like just another number, or to have their loved ones treated callously or in any way that isn’t tender and respectful—and that is a completely justified expectation. Even though funeral homes are a business, they are also an important part of the grieving process and of the community as a whole.

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It comes as no surprise for most people to discover that funeral planning traditions stem from the lives and viewpoints of older generations. The reason so many of the services offered through a funeral home are geared toward those with conservative views is that the largest percentage of their clientele is part of an aging population.

As Baby Boomers move to the forefront in terms of funeral pre-plans, and start organizing memorial services for their parents, themselves, and loved ones, there will be a shift away from many of the tried-and-true methods of the past.

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When most people talk about funeral planning, they assume that you (or your loved ones) live in a city where funeral services are readily available. All metropolitan centers and mid-sized cities have several funeral homes to choose from, usually in a variety of religious denominations. However, as towns get smaller and more rural, there is a chance that your town won’t have a funeral home, a cemetery, a crematorium, or any other type of facility that can help you with the funeral planning process.

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When funeral planning, today’s consumers are faced with a variety of choices. Eco-friendly or traditional burial? Cremation or interment? Pre-plan package or funeral insurance? All these choices mean that there can be a large research component when it comes to making decisions—especially if you’re looking for something that is unique, cost-effective, or better for the planet.

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For all the benefits of advance funeral planning, burial insurance, and the affordability of options like direct cremation, death is still a very costly affair. In fact, for some families, it’s too costly—and that’s when funeral planning can become a real problem. Although it isn’t something people like to think about (either in relation to their own life or in others), there are occasions in which it simply isn’t possible to pay for a funeral.

While this situation isn’t ideal, it doesn’t mean that you don’t have options. Government and church organizations exist to provide support, and you may be able to find a financing option that suits your lifestyle. If you are getting ready to plan a funeral and don’t have the available funds to cover it all, here are a few of the choices you face:

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Most people assume that funeral planning is something that happens once death occurs—which is part of the reason it gets such a bad reputation. There are few things worse than being forced to choose a casket, select a burial plot, and talk about ways to pay for a funeral while you’re still reeling from a sudden loss.

While the most common reason people plan a funeral is because a loved one has passed away, it’s not the only time for this task to get done. Here are the three top times for funeral planning and what each situation entails.

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When it comes time to start advance planning a funeral, you’ll find that there are several options open to you. In addition to purchasing a plot or pre-paying for services, you can also choose to buy a funeral insurance policy. Like life insurance, this policy is paid out at the time of death—though usually in a matter of days rather than months, which helps you to cover the immediate costs of the funeral.

Burial insurance might be another term thrown around as you decide which type of pre-payment plan is right for you. This option sounds more specific than funeral insurance, in that it might be earmarked just for the burial process, but the truth is that both types of insurance are the same. They are flexible and affordable options designed to help cover the costs of interment (either burial or cremation, as the case may be).

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